Bias Impact Analysis and Calibration of Uav-Based Mobile Lidar System

Over the past few years, developments in mobile mapping technology, specifically Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have made accurate 3D mapping more feasible, thus emerging as an economical and practical mobile mapping platform. LiDAR-based UAV mapping systems are gaining widespread recognition as an efficient and cost-effective technique for rapid collection of 3D geospatial data. To derive point clouds with high positional accuracy, estimation of mounting parameters relating the laser scanners to the onboard GNSS/INS unit is the foremost and necessary step. In this paper, we first devise an optimal flight and target configuration by conducting a rigorous theoretical analysis of the potential impact of bias in mounting parameters of a LiDAR unit on the resultant point cloud. Then, we propose a LiDAR system calibration strategy that can directly estimate the mounting parameters for spinning multibeam laser scanners onboard a UAV through an outdoor calibration procedure.